Persons with advanced cancer of the larynx or pyriform sinuses frequently undergo laryngeal amputation (laryngectomy) to remove the tumor. Among the sequelae to this surgery are permanent diversion of the lower airway to a tracheostoma at the base of the neck with loss of the upper airway for respiration and olfaction, maintenance of oral swallowing (but altered by loss of the larynx and alteration of the upper esophageal sphincter), and loss of voice (Stemple, Glaze, & Klaben, 2000).
There are three primary methods for voice restoration following total laryngectomy: esophageal speech, speech with an artificial vibratory source (a.k.a. electrolarynx), and tracheoesophageal (TE) speech, which requires a voice prosthesis (v.p.) (Stemple, Glaze, & Klaben, 2000). The latter is the focus of the present study.
Since the introduction of the first effective v.p. in 1980 (InHealth Technologies ENT Product Catalog, 2005), there has been a steady increase in the variety of designs of prostheses available for use. This increase in variety raises questions about which design is “best” or what criteria should be employed in selecting v.p.s.
The study is a chart review of a 29 patients with total laryngectomy and primary TEP who have been in recovery for at least one year (time frame, 2003-2004). The goal is to identify changes in selected v.p.s and reasons for such changes in the first year post-surgery.
The primary trend was a reduction in v.p. length over the first year. A second surprising trend was the relatively short useful life of the clinician-inserted v.p.s. A third trend was the pervasive presence of candida colonization of voice prostheses (a condition which produces premature breakdown of the v.p. valve).

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The Ohio State University. Department of Speech and Hearing Science Honors Theses; 2005